Gluten-free granola bars
6
Prairie Girl Bakery's Jean Blacklock shared this grab and go snack with us for the holidays! (In her home, they're better known as her husband Andrew's favourite granola bars.)
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
3 cups gluten-free old fashioned oats
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, or walnuts pecans, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 cup of mixed dried cranberries, cherries, raisins and chocolate chips
Instructions
Grease/oil a 9 x 13 inch baking pan and set aside.
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
On cookie sheet, combine oats, coconut and the seeds. Toast in oven for 10 minutes or until all is lightly golden- stir midway through. Put the toasted mixture into a large bowl.
In pan on stove or in bowl in microwave (I do this!) melt the butter, PB, sugar, and syrup together and bring just to the boil. It should be completely melted and smooth.
Add melted mixture to the toasted oats mixture and combine well with large spoon. Let cool about 5 minutes and then stir in the dried fruit/chocolate.
Press mixture firmly into the greased 9x13 pan. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Let cool in pan about 5 minutes, then cut into bars but leave them in the pan. Cool completely in pan (at least an hour) and then recut the bars and lift out. (If you try to cut and remove them before they are completely cool, they get messy.)
Store in container with tight lid. These bars keep well for at least a week at room temperature and can also be frozen for up to 2-3 weeks.